Car-truck



(Model.) 5 sheets-sheet. 1.

i r E. R. BSMOND.

CARv TRUCK.

No. 247,814. Patented 00's. 4,1881.

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l (Model.) sheets-sheem.

E. R. ESMOND.

GAR TRUCK. No. 247,814. Patented 001;. 4,1881.

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(Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 GAR TRUK.

No. 247.814. Patentd 081. 4,1881.

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5 Sheets- Sheet 4,

E. R.- BSMOND.

CAR TRUCK.

(Model.)

Patented 0011.4, 1881.

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(Moda.) 5 sheets-sheet 5.

E. R. ESMOND;

' GAR TRUCK.' N0. 247,814. Patented Oct. 4,1881.;

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t UNrTnn STATES PATENT Friet E. RICHARD ESMOND, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CAR-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,814, datedvOctober 4, 1881.

Application filed March 1, 1880. (Model.) l

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, E. RICHARD EsMoND, of the city ot' Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

tween the car-body and the truck, as l have found in practice that any such movement is detrimental to the proper workingof this class of car-trucks. Thislaecomplish by making the lower shaft, which is secured in reverse stand ards projecting downwardly from the body-bolster ofthe ear, and which passesthrough the lower ends ofthelongltudinal suspension-links, so that its ends just touch the insides of the truck-standards, which earrythe shaft passing through the npperends ofthelinks. All ofthe holes in the links are formed cylindrically tapering from both sides of them, so that the truck and car-body are free to move longitudinally andswivel in relation to each other, but are prevented from moving laterally by the lower shaft fitting between the truck-standards.

Secondly. In adapting the said suspensionlink principle to six-wheel trucks by employing tivo sets of longitudinal suspension-links arranged one pair between each adjacent two pairs of wheels7 thus supporting the car-body at each end at two points, longitudinally, instead ot' at one, as with the ordinarycenter plates and side bearings, the set of links with their shafts nearest theend of the car-bodybeing constructed as just before described, and the other set having the links formed in the same manner, but so arranged that their lower ends and the shaft which is secured to the carbody are free to move laterally in relation to the truck,thus allowing the truck and car-body to swivel relatively to each other from a eencontact with any obstacle, and to strengthen the truck generally by so constructing the frame-work of the truck that these transverse suspension-links, which hang against the sides ofthe axle-boxes, are surrounded by portions of the frame-work, thus forming rigid pedestal protection for the' axle-boxes and links, allowing the axle-boxes and links tomove laterally to the side frames, and at the same time making said truck-frameof cheap construction and very light, strong,.and durable.

Fonrthly. To provide a ready and etlcient means for holding the brake-beams, and also bysuch a construction ot' the brake-shoes that they maybe quickly reversed in position when they become unevenly worn, allot' which will be the accompanying drawings, forming part ot' this specification, in which- Figure 1,Sheet 1, is a side elevation cfa sixwheel passenger-truck embodying mysaidimprovements. Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is a plan vieur of the same. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is an end view, partly in section. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is an entransverse suspension-links and their protecting-pedestals, showing the upper part' of the box in section. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is an end seetional view ot' Fig. 4, out through the line m x. Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is an enlarged side elevation of one ot' the brake-shoes. Fig. 7,' Sheet 2, is a rear view of the same. Fig. 8, Sheet 2 ,is an enlarged side elevation of one of the longitudinal or upper suspension-links.. Fig. 9, Sheet 2, is a front viewot' the same, partlyin section.

wheelt'reight-trnck. Fig. 11, Sheet 3,1's an end view of the same, partly in section. Fig. 12, Sheet 3, is a side elevation, showing the lower or transverse suspension-links and the axleboxes,in combination with cast-iron pedestals. Fig. 13, Sheet 4, is a side viewofa truck, repare applied to car-trucks embodying the suspension-link principle. Fig. 14, Sheet 4, is an end View of the same. Fig. 15, Sheet 4, is an enlarged plan view of the upper suspensionlinks. Fig. 16, Sheet 5,is aside elevation of a 17, Sheet 5, is an end view of the'same, partly in section.

rlhe side frames of the trucks are composed larged view ot one of the axle-boxes and itsV Fig. l0, Sheet 3, is a side elevation of a fourresent-ing the manner in which equalizing-bars car-truck, showing further modieations. Fig. l

fully hereinafter described by reference had to' IOO lss

of longitudinal wheel-piece 10 and bar 6. The wheel-piece l() in the six-wheel passenger-truck is constructed of a beam of wood, covered on the two sides with plates of iron 1l and l2,held together by bolts passing through them, and the bar6 consists oftlat wrought-iron, as clearly shown in the enlarged views, Figs. 4 and 5. The longitudinal wheel-piece l() and bar 6 are connected together by the vertical pedestals 5 5, which are also ot' tlat wrought-iron and bent at their ends at right angles, through which bent ends and the wheel-piece l() and bar 6 bolts are passed, which securely hold the whole together.

Between the upper ends of the pedestals 5 5 and the under side of the longitudinal wheelpiece 4l() the inverted-arch bar 15 is placed. This bar acts as abraec to strengthen the side frames, the lower bends in it passing under the transoms 2t), which securely connect the two side frames together by the queen-post castings 39, ttt ed between the tops of them and the under sile ot' the wheel-piece l0, and the transom pillar castings 29, litted between the under sides ot" them and the bar 6, the whole being rmly held together by means of long bolts passing vertically through them.

The pedestals 5 5 are arranged in pairs, as shown, one pair being placed at each end of longitudinal wheel-piece 10 and bar 6 and one pair in the center of them. The pedestals in each pair are such a distance apart as to just admit the axle-boxes 3 3 and the transverse suspension-links 46 46, so that they have no longitudinal play, but are free to move transversely therein in relation to the position of the truck on the rails. rlhe axle-boxes 3 3 and the transverse suspension-links 46 46, it will thus be observed, are surrounded by portions of the side frames, which form perfectly-rigid pedestal protection therefor, protecting said boxes and links from injury due to the truck striking any obstacle, as well as enabling me to make a strong, light, and durable truck-frame by such construction.

The lower ends of the transverse suspensionlinks 46 46 are enlarged and provided with openings, the lower sides ofwhieh are semicircular, and made to tit into grooves formed in the longitudinal bar 6, ot'a width equal to the thickness of the links. These grooves are formed in the under side of the bar 6 only, and correspond to the semicircles in the openings in the lower ends of the links, so that the links may partly rotate on the bar 6, as shown in Figs.4 and 5, which also clearly show the manner in which the upper ends of the transverse suspension-links are connected to the axleboxes 3 3, so as to allow the boxes to move transversely to the side frames, the links by such movements assuming inclined positions to the side frames and boxes. The upper ends of the links 46 46 t on the ends of the short sh afts or rods g', which set into grooves formed in the top of the caps f', made so as to slide freely up and down in the receptacles f2 on the top of the axle-boxes 3, and east in one piece therewith. In these receptacles are placed the springs g2, under the caps f', the caps being provided with lugs, as shown, which tit into the spaces left between the springs and the square corners of the receptacles, and so prevent the caps j" from tilting and-becoming wedged in the receptacles as they move up or down therein.

In the ordinary working of the truck the axle-boxes 3 3 never move laterally a suflicient distance to bring the ends ofthe shafts or rods g beyond the sides of the pedestals 5 5, so it is not generally necessary to secure them to the links 46 46; but to insure their always keeping in place I propose to secure the links to the ends of the shafts g g by set-screws or pins, or riveting over the ends ot' the rods g', which at the same time causes the shafts g g to turn in their bearings on the capsff, instead ofthe links 46 46 turning on them.

In the side ofthe reeeptaclesf2f2 are formed slots, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, to allow the shafts gg to move down therein as the springs g2 are compressed by the weight ot' the ear-body, &c., through the medium ot' the transverse links 46 46.

The lower parts of the boxes 3 3 are constructed and fitted with brasses as ordinarily, in which the axles 2 2,011 which the wheels 1 l are secured, have their bearings, with the eX- ception of there being n0 endplay between the journals and the brasses and no saddles to the brasses.

Between each pair of transoms 20 20 are placed the holsters 30 30, which are free to move up and downbut are prevented from moving end wise by means of the pins d3 d3, placed in them to come in contact with the queen-post castings 39 ot' the side frames. These holsters are held up b v the springs S0 S0, which are held in the U-shaped pieces 43 43, the upper ends of which are bolted to the transoms 2() 20.

To the top ofthe bolster 30, which is between the two pairs of wheels nearest the end of the car-body, are secured by bolts the standards l, in the upper ends ot' which is fastened the shaft m, and on the shaft m hang the two longitudinal links a a, through the lower ends of which is supported the shalt 0. This shaft o is firmly held in the lower ends ot' the two reverse standards p p, bolted lirmly to the carbody bolster12. Theholesinlinksumthrough which the shafts m and o pass, are counterbored from both sides toward the center, as shown in Figs. and 9, so that they are free to swivel on the shafts m and 0, as well as rotate in a longitudinal direction thereon. The shaft o is of such a length that its ends just touch the insides of the standards l l; and as this shaft is rigidly connected to the car-body by means ofthe reverse standards pp, it will be observed that all transverse movement between the car-body and the truck is prevented, which is very important in car-trucks embody- IOO IIO

IIS

ingthe suspension-1ink principle, as any lateral play between the car-bod y and the truck imparts shocks to the car-body, for all transverse shocks must be entirely counteracted by .the inclination given to the transverse links 46 46, and not by any lateral freedom of any other parts of the truck, for the advantages'of the suspension-link principle to be obtained in its application to car-trucks.

It will also be observed that the lower ends of the links n a and the shaft carefree to move in a longitudinal direction in relation to the truck, and vice versa; and to enable these links to swivel, which necessita tes the sh aft o assu-mT ing an angular position to the shaft m, as shown in the plan view, Fig. 2, the ends of the shaft are made convex, the radius of the curvature of which is equal to the length ofthe shaft, as shown at the right-hand end ot' the enlarged view ofthe shaft o, Fig. 15, or rounded in the one direction, as shown at the left-hand end, thus allowing the shaft to 'assume any inclination from the perpendicular shown by a dotted line between the two inside faces of the stainlards ZZ until the opposite sides of the two ends pass beyond said. perpendicular without there being any play between the ends of the shaft and the t'acesof the standards; and as this inclination is only exceeded when the car is'passing around a very sharp'curve, it is evident that in ordinary operation, or when the car is moving around the practically-operative curves of the road, the car-body is rigidly held to the truck 'as regards any lateral movement between them, thelinksswiveling on the shafts fm and o, as shown in Fig. 15, which represents the extreme position ot' the shaft o, whenthe car is passing around the curve. The li'nk to the left, being nearest to the center of the curve, remains in a vertical position, or nearly so, and merely swivels, while the one to the right, or the outside link, is both swiveled and inclined, thus bringing the center of the swiveling action between the truck and car-body in line with the inside longitudinal suspensiondink. This takes place particularly with four-wheel trucks, which have only one set of longitudinal suspension-links, as shown in Fig. 10, while with six wheel trucks having two sets of links, as shownin Figs. l, 2, and 3, this center of swiveling would probably be somewhat changed from the position just described, but not' sufficiently' to materially alter the opera- A tion ofthe links n a and shaft o, as described.

The standards Z Z on the bolster 30, the shaft m,and the reverse standards pp on the bodybolster 12 are the same, as regards construction and relative positions, as the standardsy Z Z, shaft m, and reverse standards p p. The links n n `inside Vthe 'reverse standards p p', and the shaft o', instead of fitting between the stand- The flat iron bars 51 5lA are secured to the v transoms 20 20, and surround the axles 2 2, but do not touch them. They act as safetybars to hold up the axles should any of them become fractured or broken. They are also employed to hold the brake-beams 84 84, which slide on the lower parts of them, and which are heldin placebytheangle-piecesrr. (Shown iu dotted lines in Fig. 1.)

At the ends on the top and bottom of the brake-beams 54 84, which may be of wood or channel-iron, as shown in Figs. 6 and, are secured the brake-blocks 82 82, having-two projecting ears or lugs, between which fit the projecting hooks on the back of the brake-shoes 98 98. In the ears of the upper brake-blocks are permanently tixed the rods t, ortheserods may be cast wit-h the ears, and in the ears ot'- the lower brake-blocks are holes, through which the bolts t pass. In securing the brake-shoes 9S in place, all that there is to do is to pass the upper hook over the rod t, push the lower hook between the ears on the lower block 82, andthen pass the bolt t through theears and the hook, holding the same in place preferably by means of a split pin passing through thefree end of it. When the shoes become nnevenly worn it requires only a few moments to reverse them in their position, which is done by withdrawing the bolt t and turning the shoe upperend down. The sides of the ears in the brake-blocks 82, as shown, are made so as to fit against the back ofthe shoes 98 98.

To insure the brakes moving laterally with loo los

IIO

the wheels, should they have play sufficient or be worn enough to pass by the anges of the wheels, the pins t4 t4 are xed in the beams S4 8l in close proximity to the insides of the wheels.

In the drawings no device is shown for operating the brakes. They may be operated by the ordinary or other suitable means.

The side frames of the four-wheel freight truck, as represented in Figs. 10 and l1, are constructed in a similar manner to those just described, with the exceptions of the top bar, l0, being made of wrought-iron instead of wood, and one wooden transom, 20, substituted for the two, the standards Z212 being bolted directly to the transom 20, so that they are rigidly connected to the frames without any springs between them. The shaft m2, links a2 a2, shaft 02, and reverse standards [12192 are. ot' the same construction as the shaft m, links n n', shaft 0, and reverse standards p p of Figs. l, 2, and 3, as are also the axle-boxes and con- 4 einem nectious, s o it is unnecessary here to further describe them.

lu narrow-gage trucks the shaft m2 may be connected directly on the side frames, the standards Z2 l2 being dispensed with, the ends ot' the shaft 02 then bearing against the side frames or against angle-pieces bolted to the transom 20.

Four-wheel passenger-trucks would be made as represented by all of the parts of Figs. 1 and 2 to the left ot' the dotted line a," x.

Instead ofmakingthepedestalsof wroughtiron, they may be made ot' cast-iron, the whole cast in one piece, in the usual manner, and bolted to the longitudinal bars 1() 6.

Fig. 12 represents the manner l propose to adopt in applying the transverse suspensionlinks to horse-cars or to four or six wheel coalcars. rlhe longitudinal links n a are not necessary for such purposes. These pedestals are bolted to thepedestattimberlf),the space between them being wide enough to admit the axle-boxes 3 and links 46 46, which are made, as before described, with the springs g in the receptacles f2. rlhe lower ends of the links 46 46 turn on a piece ot' pipe, u, which fits in between the lower ends of thel pedestals. Bolts e U pass through the pedestals and the pipes u, and by means of the nuts e e connect the lower ends of the pedestals rigidly together. Alight wrought-iron pedestal tie-bar, 6, connects the bolts t e by being welded to their inside ends, the right degree of strain being` given to it by adjusting the nuts e e on the bolts e r. The whole may 'be further strengthened, if desired, by bracingr the pedestal-timber 169 between the pedestals.

To apply equalizing-bars to trucks embodying the suspension-link principle, Ipropose to adopt the method shown in Figs. 13 and14, in which the lateral links 46 46 are at their upper ends connected to the axle-boxes 3 by a bolt passing through them and the upper part of the boxes, or resting in slots in the top ofthe boxes, there being no springs in the boxes.

rlhe boxes 3 and the links 46 46 are held in place by the. pedestals 5. The ends ot' the equalizing-bar 7l pass through thelower ends ot' the lateral links 46 46, and also through openings made therefor in thesides of the ped estals, so that the equalizing-bars and lower ends ofthe links have no lateral movementin relation to the pedestal, but are i'ree to move up and down therein. The. lower ends of the pedestals are connected together by means ot' the tie-bar 6.

Between the tops of the equalizing-bars 71 and the under side of the wheel-piece 16 are placed the springs 79, in the usual manner.

The side frames l propose to constructin the manner shown; but they may be made in any other suitable manner.

The two wheel-pieces 10 l0 are connected together by the transom 20, by means of bolts passing through them and the queen-posts 39 39, and strengthened by the wheel-piece trussrods 13 13. Ou the transom 20 are secured the standards l Z and shaft m, carrying the longitudinal links n n, shaft o, and reverse standards p p.

YVhen itis desired to use springs between the car-body and the truck-frame, then the construction substantially like that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 will be adopted.

ln the modifications, Figs. 16 and 17, which show a truck made entirely7 of iron, the transoms 2O 20 are dispensed with and the bolster holds the two side frames together. This bol ster is formed of two pieces ot' channel-iron, 30 30, fastened together by flat pieces of iron, 31 31, two on their'upper sides, on which are secured the standards l I, and one on the under side, in the center. They are also held together at their ends by the bent pieces of iron 43, which reston the tops of the bolster-spring caps 75. The lower ends of these springs set into a seat, 74, resting on the central part of inverted-arch bar 15, which extends downward from between the tops of the pedestals 5 5 and the under side of the wheel-piece 10 to the central part ot' the tie-bar 6.

The wheel-piece 10, inverted-arch bar 15, and pedestal tiebar 6 are connected together by bolts passingr through them and the casting, the side pieces, 37, of which are rectangular in cross-section, and they act as guide-bars f'or the bolster 30, the iianges of the channeliron being cut so as to embrace them, and free to move up and down thereon, but without any play, thereby holding the two side frames of the truck paral'el with one another, at the same time allowing the bolster-springs at either end ot' the bolster 30 to be compressed independently ot' those at the other end. The springs 80 are prevented from forcing the bolster 30 above a certain height by projections on the rectangular portions of the bolsterguidebars 37.

r1`he pedestals 5 5 are constructed, as before described, to form rigid protections t'or the axle-boxes 3 3 and transverse links 46 46. These links, instead of bearing against the outside of the spring-receptacles f2, hang in recesses 'ormed in the sides of receptacles and boxes 3 3, and they are connected together at their upper ends by a square bar ot' iron, g', the under side of which is rounded, so as to turn in a groove made in the top ot' the cap j", resting` on the top ofthe spring g2, the sides of the links being in contact with the cap and not in contact with the sides of the receptacle f2, as before described, the sides of the receptacle being cut away, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 17.

The lower ends of the links 46 46 are formed into eyes by first splitting them and then bend ing the two split parts and welding them together, and instead of bearing in grooves formed in the pedestal tie-bar 6 they bear on a cast-iron bearing-plate, i, formed on their under sides to correspond to the circle of the eyes of the links 46, which hold them against IOO IOS

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I the under side ot' the pedestal tie-bar 6, and

they are prevented from moving longitudinally on the bar by the anges i', against which the inside of the links 46 hear. This construction ofthe spring-receptacle f2, links 46 46, and separable'bearing-plate t' may be applied to any of the trucks before described.

The standards] l, shaft m, longitudinal links n n, shaft o, and reverse standards 1o p, secured to the ear-body bolster 12, are similar in every respect to those before described 5 but I would here remark that by making the bolster of two pieces with a space between them I am enabled to either make the links n n longer or drop the whole of this movement down some distance, as the lower ends of the links and reverse standards can oscillate in the space between the two pieces of channel-iron.

Having now described my invention, I wish it understood that I do not claim anything that is shown or described in the before-men tioned Letters Patent No. 208,857, and bearin g date the Sth'day of October, 1878; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patentisl. As an improvement in suspension cartrucks, in combination, the shaft m, secured in standards l l on the transom 30 of the truck,

the shaft 0, secured in the reverse standards- 3o pp on the carbodyand rounded at its endsto Ias tit against the inside faces of the standards ll, and the suspension-links n u, whose bearingholes are circular throughout, and from their centers, which fit on the shafts m and o, increase iu size to their outer ends, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbei'ore set forth.

2. In a six-wheel car-truck, the combination of a suspension system composed of the shaft o, secured to the car-body with its ends bearing against fixed pieces on the truck3frame, the shaft m, secured to the truck, and the links 'n n, connecting the shafts o and m together, so

that the truck and car-body are free to swivel in relation to each other, but are rigidly held as regards lateral movement, with a suspension system composed of the shaft o', secured to the car-body, the shaft m', secured to the truck, connected together by the links n n in such a manner that the parts of the truck and car-body so connected are free to swivel and to move laterally in relation to one another, substantially as and for the purposes herein- -before set forth.

' 3. The combination of the axle-box 3, provided with the receptaclefz, spring g2, cap f', rod g', and the links 46 46, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth..

4. lhe combination of the side frames of a car-truck, consisting of the' wheel-piece 10 and bar 6 and pedestals 5 5, with the links 46 46, tted at their lower ends to turn in grooves made in the bar 6, and pivoted at their upper ends to the axle-boxes 3, substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set fort-l1. A

5. As an improvement in suspension cartrucks, in combination, the rigid pedestal 5, the links 46 46, fitted to rook at their lower ends on the tie-bar of the pedestal, and the axleboX 3, connected by a rocking bearing to the upper ends of the links when said links are iitted between the sides of the pedestal and sides ofthe axle-box, so as to allow the axlebox to move laterally in relation to the truck, but prevent it moving in a longitudinal direc tion thereto, substantially as and for the purposes liereinbefore set forth.

In' testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of February, A. D. 1880.

E. RICHARD EsMoND.

Witnesses:

J AMES A. HUDSON, J AMES W. GHIsHoLM. 

